Grants Senior Officer

Job categories Finance, Project Management

Vacancy code VA/2024/B5104/27700

Department/office MR, AMMMCO, Amman

Duty station Beirut, Lebanon

Contract type Local ICA Specialist

Contract level LICA Specialist-9

Duration Open-ended, subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds and satisfactory performance.

Application period 10-Mar-2024 to 25-Mar-2024

Applications to vacancies must be received before midnight Copenhagen time (CET) on the closing date of the announcement.

Please note that UNOPS will at no stage of the recruitment process request candidates to make payments of any kind.

This vacancy is closed.

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Background Information - Job-specific

The UNOPS Hub in Amman implements projects on behalf of UN agencies and bilateral donors and in close coordination with the Government and national authorities. With an established presence across the region, the office runs operations including large-scale procurement, project development and technical management, and provides financial, human resources and infrastructure-related services.

The functional objective of UNOPS Hub in Amman is to deliver its projects in an efficient and effective manner and in line with the principles, rules, and regulations of UNOPS, to achieve the outcomes sought by the clients.

UNOPS has been active in Lebanon since 2015, delivering projects in support of the Government of Lebanon and partners. Since the explosion at the Beirut Port on 4 August 2020, UNOPS has significantly scaled up its presence in the country to support the humanitarian response and both its presence and portfolio have undergone expansion.

The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.

UNOPS is committed to achieving a fully diverse workforce.

Project Information:

UNOPS is undertaking a project that aims at improving access to critical Municipal services and increasing the resilience of the Beirut and Bourj Hammoud Municipalities which were affected by the Beirut Port explosion, through the rehabilitation of damaged Municipal infrastructure and assets as well as restoration of critical urban services, such as water and sanitation, roads, waste management, and energy, including renewable energy, in an integrated and gender-sensitive manner, contributing to improved quality of life as well as by creating local economic activities for all.

Besides the improved public service delivery, the project entails undertaking accompanying tension-mitigation measures, extensive community engagement activities, and grants support to local CSO/NGOs that aims at reducing tensions in the targeted communities, enhancing community resilience, and helping rebuild the trust in the local authorities.

The project started in December 2021 and has a duration of 48 months (plus 12 months for the Defect Notification Period), and will be implemented in coordination with the governmental, Municipal, and relevant community stakeholders in Lebanon, to ensure that projects activities are designed in consultation with relevant governmental authorities and to reflect community needs.

Functional Responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of the Senior Project Manager and the overall leade...

Under the direct supervision of the Senior Project Manager and the overall leadership of the Head of Programme - HoP and the Head of Support Services - HoSS, the Grants Senior Officer shall be responsible for the initiation, development, planning, supervising, managing and closing of the Grants Component of the Project that entails undertaking accompanying tension-mitigation measures, extensive community engagement activities, and grants support to local CSO/NGOs that aims at reducing tensions in the targeted communities, enhancing community resilience, and helping rebuild the trust in the local authorities.

The Grants Senior Officer shall play a pivotal role in enhancing the operational capacities of public institutions (Municipalities, etc.) through initiation/development, planning, supervising and managing delivery of specialized Capacity Building Activities, including organization of training sessions (to be delivered by specialized trainers, NGOs/CSOs, etc.) and provision of essential equipment (e.g. ICT equipment, heavy machinery, and other necessary tools, etc.).

Monitoring and Progress Controls

Under the direct supervision of the Senior Project Manager, the Grants Senior Officer shall:

Participate in overseeing the development and delivery of all internal and external reports in collaboration with the Project Team Members, Finance, Project Management Office, Support Services, Procurement and other pertinent UNOPS Staff.
Participate in establishing a robust monitoring and evaluation framework to track the progress and impact of grants and capacity-building initiatives.
Prepare regular reports documenting achievements, challenges, and recommendations for continuous improvement.
Monitor implementation of grants and capacity building activities and proactively highlight activities that are at risk of getting delayed for internal UNOPS discussion and decision on further action.
Work with the pertinent Project Team Members and UNOPS concerned departments to ensure that the grants information management and filing system is respected and all donor contractual documents, reports, key correspondences, etc. are appropriately filed in up-to-date and consistent soft libraries.
Support the administration of reporting requirements within UNOPS as well as to the Donor.
Maintain a comprehensive reports tracker and regularly communicate with all relevant team members about upcoming deadlines and specific report requirements.
Contribute to the production of high-quality and well-written reports which meet donor and UNOPS requirements.
Support in thorough review and confirmation that all reports and supplementary documents are complete and accurate.
Support in coordinating the reviews and approvals of the reports related to Grants and capacity building activities by the pertinent Project Team Members, Partnerships Specialist and other pertinent UNOPS Staff.
Support in ensuring strict compliance with internal and donor deadlines.
Support the development and facilitation of annual Implementation Partner surveys measuring satisfaction levels on grant management services provided by UNOPS.
Perform other related duties and tasks as needed.

Summary of Key Functions:

Setup of Grants and Capacity Building Activities
Management of Grants and Capacity Building Activities
Financial Management - Grants and Capacity Building Activities
Knowledge Building and Knowledge Sharing

1) Setup of Grants and Capacity Building Activities:

In collaboration with the Senior Project Manager and as defined in the project grants’ strategy conduct comprehensive needs assessments in collaboration with the official counterparts from the Municipalities to identify potential areas of grants allocation in alignment with the SIMA Project objectives, development and humanitarian goals.
In strict coordination and collaboration with the Senior Project Manager, the Partnerships Specialist and the Programme Management Advisor, collaborate with the official counterparts from the Municipalities, relevant Ministries and government agencies, communities, NGOs, CSOs, UN Agencies, and other stakeholders to align provision of grants and capacity-building efforts with the SIMA Project objectives, development and humanitarian goals.
Plan and organize with other pertinent UNOPS staff community engagement activities (e.g. Focus Group Discussions- FGD, Key Informant Interviews- KII, etc.).
Plan and organize informant assembly meetings with potential Implementation Partners (NGOs, CSOs, etc.) in accordance with UNOPS rules and regulations.
Use assessment findings to determine the areas of grants allocation and targeted capacity-building initiatives.
In collaboration with the pertinent Project Team Members, determine the scope of the works of the Implementing Partner under each grant, scope of training under capacity building activities, as well as the technical specifications and requirements related to the provision of equipment and goods identified items and agreed upon with the Municipalities (e.g. ICT equipment, heavy machinery, and other essential tools/equipment/goods) required to enhance Municipal operations, along with detailed cost estimations.
Participate in identifying and designing specialized training programs tailored to the unique needs of Municipalities, focusing on areas of interest and relevance to SIMA Project, and collaborate with UNOPS subject matter experts to ensure the relevance and effectiveness of training content.
Inform and agree with the official counterparts from the Municipalities and the pertinent stakeholder about the scope of work, scope of training, and the equipment and goods technical specifications and requirements, where applicable.
Participate in the evaluation committees pertaining to grants proposals and supply of equipment, goods, etc.
Participate in planning, coordinating, receiving, inspecting and accepting delivered equipment and goods and liaise with the Municipalities to inspect and receive the delivered equipment and goods.
Coordinate initial communication with Implementation Partners, ensuring that on boarding of new partners is adapted to the partners’ needs and is aligned with SIMA Project objectives and outputs.
Support in drafting, preparing, and negotiating agreements and MOUs with official counterparts from the Municipalities and other stakeholders, if applicable.
Prepare Calls for Proposals for Grants, include detailed scope of work, objectives, outcomes, activities, reporting and deliverables, monitoring and evaluation, payment milestones, etc. all in accordance with UNOPS Grant Management Rules and Regulations and Project Management Manual.
Prepare, review and finalize Grant Agreements ensuring compliance with UNOPS Grant Management Rules and Regulations and Project Management Manual.
Manage preparation and submission of request for grants’ approvals in accordance with UNOPS Grant Management Rules and Regulations and Project Management Manual.
Manage the process for setting up supplier profiles including banking information of the Implementation Partners in the UNOPS Enterprise Resource Planning- ERP system.

2) Management of Grants and Capacity Building Activities:

Support establishing and management of tracking databases for grants and capacity building activities.
Support administration of grants and capacity building activities including, reviewing, accepting/rejecting of reports, deliverables and activities.
Participate in site visits and inspections.
Participate in reviewing, analyzing and processing Requests for Change submitted by the Implementation Partners, suppliers, etc.
Support in overseeing the training sessions for Municipal staff, ensuring a participatory and interactive learning environment.
Participate in monitoring and evaluating the impact of training programs, making adjustments as necessary to meet evolving capacity-building needs.
Support developing internal and external communication protocols.
Coordinate the application of Monitoring and Evaluation tools with Implementation Partners such as narrative and financial reporting templates.
Support in assessing Interim Progress Reports, Project Completion Reports, and Financial (Audit) Reports.
Participate in collecting information on individual grants’ performance and support the drafting of various reports on the substantive and financial performance.
Support the pertinent UNOPS staff on specialized compliance matters as required.
Participate in the proactive identification and assessment of potential risks throughout the project cycle management, anticipate risks, inform, and support all concerned to take timely risk mitigation measures and escalate as per the applicable procedures.
In coordination with the pertinent UNOPS Staff, assist in ensuring appropriate and effective visibility as per UNOPS and the donor requirements.

3) Financial Management:

Support financial management by drafting work plans, budgets, financial reports and ad-hoc updates on cash-flow status.
Support on setting up project/grant agreements and budgets in the UNOPS Enterprise Resource Planning- ERP system and monitor project budgets, and preparing of due budget revisions in consultation with the Senior Project Manager and the UNOPS pertinent staff.
Organize, manage, and supervise the implementation of training activities within the framework of the Project’s Capacity building Plan for recipient entities on financial management and reporting.
Contribute to the review of payment requests, commenting/authorizing/rejecting the processing of payments to Implementation Partners.
Support the provision of information to the pertinent UNOPS finance staff to ensure that financial statements are prepared as required.
Assist in analyzing and reviewing the final financial report submitted by the Implementation Partner and processing the final payment if applicable.
Manage and coordinate the grant closure process in liaison with relevant stakeholders, verifying that all grant obligations are fulfilled by the Implementing Partner.
Support the facilitation of convening regular meetings with the Beneficiaries, such as board meetings, coordination meetings, and ad-hoc meetings, ensuring efficient facilitation and follow up on actions.
Analyze and identify operational and financial issues, risks and challenges, and draft appropriate mitigation actions.

4) Knowledge Building and Knowledge Sharing:

Contribute to the project evaluation process, highlighting challenges associated with the project and feedback into a continuous improvement cycle.
Provide training and knowledge transfer to the Project Team Members with respect to management of grants and capacity building activities.
Compile lessons learned and best practices, and share knowledge and best practices within the project team and other relevant fora.
Participate in the relevant Communities of Practice to share case studies, lessons learned, and best practices.
Provide feedback to Practice Leads on policy and supporting guidance, with an aim towards continuous improvement of UNOPS policies.

Competencies

Treats all individuals with respect; responds sensitively to differences and enc...

Treats all individuals with respect; responds sensitively to differences and encourages others to do the same. Upholds organizational and ethical norms. Maintains high standards of trustworthiness. Role model for diversity and inclusion.

Acts as a positive role model contributing to the team spirit. Collaborates and supports the development of others. For people managers only: Acts as positive leadership role model, motivates, directs and inspires others to succeed, utilizing appropriate leadership styles.

Demonstrates understanding of the impact of own role on all partners and always puts the end beneficiary first. Builds and maintains strong external relationships and is a competent partner for others (if relevant to the role).

Efficiently establishes an appropriate course of action for self and/or others to accomplish a goal. Actions lead to total task accomplishment through concern for quality in all areas. Sees opportunities and takes the initiative to act on them. Understands that responsible use of resources maximizes our impact on our beneficiaries.

Open to change and flexible in a fast paced environment. Effectively adapts own approach to suit changing circumstances or requirements. Reflects on experiences and modifies own behavior. Performance is consistent, even under pressure. Always pursues continuous improvements.

Evaluates data and courses of action to reach logical, pragmatic decisions. Takes an unbiased, rational approach with calculated risks. Applies innovation and creativity to problem-solving.

Expresses ideas or facts in a clear, concise and open manner. Communication indicates a consideration for the feelings and needs of others. Actively listens and proactively shares knowledge. Handles conflict effectively, by overcoming differences of opinion and finding common ground.

Education/Experience/Language requirements

Education: Advanced university degree (Master's Degree or equivalent), pref...

Contract type, level and duration

Contract type: Local Individual Contractor Agreement (LICA) Contract level:...

Additional Information

Please note that UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes. Applic...

Please note that UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes.
Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process, which involves various assessments.
UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures, languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. UNOPS seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce.
Qualified women and candidates from groups which are underrepresented in the UNOPS workforce are encouraged to apply. These include in particular candidates from racialized and/or indigenous groups, members of minority gender identities and sexual orientations, and people with disabilities.
We would like to ensure all candidates perform at their best during the assessment process. If you are shortlisted and require additional assistance to complete any assessment, including reasonable accommodation, please inform our human resources team when you receive an invitation.
This position is stationed in Beirut, Lebanon, which is a family duty station.

Terms and Conditions

For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post.
For retainer contracts, you must complete a few Mandatory Courses (they take around 4 hours to complete) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS. For more information on a retainer contract here.
All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their duties in accordance with the UN Charter and UNOPS Policies and Instructions, as well as other relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, all personnel must demonstrate an understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner consistent with UN core values and the UN Common Agenda.
It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential personnel. Recruitment in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.

This vacancy is closed.

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